Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Alice, Texas

Alice’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Alice city limits

  • Zoning Map of the City of Alice, Texas is part of the ordinance

  zoning districts: 13 districts (list also includes a PUD overlay)

  “the city of alice is hereby divided into 13 zoning districts to be known as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Alice city: R-1 to R-7, B-1 to B-4, C, D, PUD overlay

  • Boundaries shown on the Zoning Map of the City of Alice, Texas

  “(1) r-1 one-family district. (2) r-2 two-family district. (3) r-3 special two-family district. (4) r-4 multifamily district. (5) r-5 townhouse residential district. (6) r-6 mobile home subdivision district. (7) r-7 mobile home park. (8) b-1 business district. (9) b-2 business district. (10) b-3 business district. (11) b-4 business district. (12) c industrial district. (13) d industrial district. (14) pud planned unit development overlay.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 one-family district inside Alice city

  • 7,000 sq ft applies where served by a public sanitary sewer main; without sewer the Board of Adjustment determines lot area for septic drainage
  • Sewered lots of record at 4/11/1955 between 5,000 and 7,000 sq ft may still have a one-family dwelling
  • Minimum lot width 50 feet at building line

  minimum lot area (sewered): >= 7000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet

  “the minimum area of a lot shall be 7,000 square feet, provided that the property is served by a public sanitary sewer main; the minimum lot area for property not served by sanitary sewer shall be determined by the board of adjustment to provide for adequate septic tank drainage.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 one-family district inside Alice city

  • On existing platted lots front and side street setbacks may be 15 feet where the majority of structures are 15 feet
  • In a new subdivision with planning and zoning commission approval one side yard may be zero with the other at least ten feet
  • Five-foot alley or easement line

  front yard: >= 25 feet (15 feet on certain existing platted lots) · rear yard: >= 5 feet · side yard: >= 5 feet · corner lot side street: >= 15 feet

  “there shall be a front yard of not less than 25 feet. on existing platted lots, the front and side street setbacks may be 15 feet where the majority of structures are 15 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 one-family district inside Alice city

  • Both limits apply: 2½ stories and 35 feet

  maximum height: <= 35 feet · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

  “no building hereafter erected, reconstructed, altered, or enlarged shall exceed 2½ stories nor shall it exceed 35 feet.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Areas of special flood hazard inside Alice city

  • Applies where base flood elevation data has been provided
  • Elevation certification by registered engineer, architect or surveyor to the floodplain administrator

  lowest floor above base flood elevation: >= 1 foot

  “new construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor (including basement), elevated to a minimum of one foot or 12 inches above the base flood elevation.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Alice or Jim Wells County directly.

• Building permit — Residential building permits inside Alice city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Alice city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Alice city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Alice city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Alice city

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.